13 Sunday - B- July 1-Homily 1

Jairus' Daughter

Mark 5:21-43 - "The Healing of Jairus' Daughter and the Hemorrhaging Woman"

Mark 5:21-43 - "Be Healed, Be Held" by Leonard Sweet

A business executive became depressed. Things were not going well at work, and he was bringing his problems home with him every night. Every evening he would eat his dinner in silence, shutting out his wife and five-year-old daughter. Then he would go into the den and read the paper using the newspaper to wall his family out of his life.

John the Baptist - June 24 - Several Homilies -3

John the Baptist  - June 24

 Homily from Father Joseph Pellegrino

http://www.st.ignatius.net/pastor.html

John the Baptist

 Nativity of John the Baptist: The Exigency to Prophesy

John the Baptist June 24 - Homily-2

Solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist
(June 24) L/12
Is 49: 1-6; Acts 13: 22-26; Lk 1: 57-66, 80

Anecdote: Be the finger of John the Baptist: Karl Barth the great 20th century Calvinist theologian  would  wake  up early  in the morning, read  the newspaper,  and  stare  at a painting  by Grunewald  called  Crucifixion.  Jesus  is hanging  from  the cross,  apparently dead,  while Mary and others morn. John the Baptist, holding the Scriptures and leaning away from Christ, is pointing to Jesus on the Cross. Before he would teach  theology or write in his famous work Church Dogmatics, Karl Barth would meditate on this painting, particularly  on  John the  Baptist.  He said  that,  as  a  Christian  (whether  a  theologian, pastor, teacher, mother, doctor, storekeeper, etc.), our job is to be the finger (and only the finger), of John the Baptist. The only thing we should do – indeed, the only thing we can  do – is simply point to Jesus on the cross. This scene painted by Grunewald is the sum of all history, from Creation in the past to eternity. And we are that finger, and within that finger rests the weight of salvation.

12 Sunday-B June 24 - Sermon -1

12 Sunday

June 24, 2012

Mark 4:35-41 - "Calming of the Tempest" Mark 4:35-41 - "Stand by Me" by Leonard Sweet _________________________________________ Victor Hugo, who is famous for his novel the Hunchback of Notre Dame, also wrote a story called "Ninety-Three." It tells of a ship caught in a dangerous storm on the high seas. At the height of the storm, the frightened sailors heard a terrible crashing noise below the deck. They knew at once that this new noise came from a cannon, part of the ship's cargo, that had broken loose. It was moving back and forth with the swaying of the ship, crashing into the side of the ship with terrible impact. Knowing that it could cause the ship to sink, two brave sailors volunteered to make the dangerous attempt to retie the loose cannon. They knew the danger of a shipwreck from the cannon was greater than the fury of the storm.

Fathers' Day - June 17

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 - "A Word for Christian Fathers"

You are familiar with the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy's marriage was a saga of bitterness. His wife carped and complained and clung to her grudges until he could not bear the sight of her. When they had been married almost a half a century, sometimes she would implore him to read to her the exquisite, poignant love passages that he had written about her in his diary forty-eight years previously, when they were both madly in love with each other. As he read of the happy days that were now gone forever, they both wept bitterly.

Love in action 1 Corinthians 13

Love in action 1 Corinthians 13

Introduction

“You say you love me, at least 1000 times a day. But I can’t see that love in your actions.” My wife told me in a frustrated voice, after I denied to help her with the Sunday worship service one day. I paused for a moment. Isn’t she right? This was the situation in the Church of Corinth and that’s why Paul wrote to the church of Corinth at a time they had given priority to Spiritual gifts while ignoring to love each other.

Love without actions is dead! And this passage tells us what is real love.

Bartimaeus - The Blind man

Lessons from Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52

Introduction

Blindness was prevalent through infection at birth in N.T. times.There must have been thousands throughout Judea.Why was Bartimaeus singled out to receive his healing? I believe there were four reasons.

Text: Mark 10:46-52

Paralytic Man

Lessons from the Paralytic Mark 2:3-12

Text: Mark 2:3-12

Introduction

(Though I titled this sermon as ‘Lessons from the paralytic’ to make this post search engine friendlier, I recommend you to modify the title to suite your preaching.)

Paralytics were very common in biblical times. Medical support was not available for such disabled people and their only hope was divine intervention. This passage tells about a paralytic and the story deals with three principals for having an encounter with God.

Workers in the Vineyard

The parable of the workers in the Vineyard Matthew 20:1-16

Introduction

Grace is the central theme of this parable. In it we meet a group of laborers whose master wasn’t very happy (in Matthew 20:13 “friend” is used ironically) because they failed to identify the grace he expressed unto them. Likewise today there are Christians in the church who don’t walk in the grace of God. Needless to say such behavior doesn’t impress God at all. In this parable I recognized three reasons as to why we fail to walk in God’s grace and how to overcome them.

Mothers' Day - May 13

Sermons for Mother's Day:

Romans 16:13 - Mother's Day

John 15:9-17 - Whistling Jesus - by Leonard Sweet

_________________________________________

 I must candidly confess that when I was in seminary the 16th chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans didn't do much for me. It struck me as being boring nothing more than a long presentation of people's names, most of whom I could not pronounce; I usually skimmed over that part so I could get to what I considered to be the real Gospel. Over the years I have greatly changed my attitude about this particular chapter and I have discovered that there is much more to it than I had first imagined. For example, it is interesting to note that of the twenty-six people who Paul singles out for his personal greeting, six were women. Now that strikes me as being rather interesting, since Paul has frequently gotten a bum rap for being a male chauvinist. I think it also shows us the tremendous influence that women had in the early church. In the male oriented first century Palestine, it is telling that Paul could not describe the church without mentioning the significant role of women.

Workers' Day -Reflection

• A sermon for international workers’ day

  Posted: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:13:18 +0000

  

  Introduction

  1. Define, working class: “those employed in lower tier jobs (as measured by skill, education and lower incomes), often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes.”
  2. In the Bible there’s no such group as “working class”. However in it we find many people that fit into the above description.
  3. Do you know these people though they are long gone have a three fold message about God and his love for those who toil and labor today? Let me take you 2000 years back in time.
  
  

Easter 4 B Good Shepherd

Readings
First Reading: Acts 4: 8-12

Second Reading: 1 John 3: 1-2

Gospel: John 10: 11-18
 

Anecdotes

1) Pope John Paul II, the good shepherd. The most beautiful and meaningful comment on the life and the legacy of Pope John PaulII was made by the famous televangelist Billy Graham. In a TV Interview he said: “He lived like his Master the Good Shepherd and he died like his Master the Good Shepherd.” In today’s gospel, Jesus claims that he is the Good Shepherd and explains what he does for his sheep.

 

Easter 3 B

HOMILY FOR EASTER SUNDAY III (APRIL 22, 2012) LUKE 24: 35-48 Readings

First Reading: Acts 3: 13-15, 17-19

Second Reading: 1 John 2: 1-5

Gospel: Luke 24: 35-48

Anecdotes

Easter-3 B

Fr. Tony Kadavil:

 

1) The ghost story! There is a true story in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not about a judge in Yugoslavia who had an unfortunate accident. He was “electrocuted” when he reached up to turn on the light while standing in the bathtub. His wife found his body sprawled on the bathroom floor. She called for help--friends and neighbors, police--everyone showed up. He was pronounced dead and taken to the funeral home. The local radio picked up the story and broadcast it allover the air. In the middle of the night, the judge regained consciousness. When he realized where he was, he rushed over to alert the night watchman, who promptly ran off, terrified. The first thought of the judge was to phone his wife and reassure her. But he got no further than, "Hello darling, it’s me," when she screamed and fainted. He tried calling a couple of the neighbors, but they all thought it was some sort of a sick prank. He even went so far as to go to the homes of several friends, but they were all sure he was a ghost and slammed the door in his face. Finally, he was able to call a friend in the next town who hadn't heard of his death. This friend was able to convince his family and other friends that he really was alive. Today’s gospel tells us that Jesus had to convince the disciples that he wasn’t a ghost. He had to dispel their doubts and their fears. He showed them his hands and his feet. He invited them to touch him and see that he was real. And he even ate apiece of cooked fish with them--all to prove that he was alive and not a ghost or spirit. He stood there before them, as real and alive as he had been over the past three years. (The Auto illustrator)

Pictures for Reflection

Good and evil often coexist in the world.

When you stop learning, you stop growing. A good teacher is always a good learner.

The last one took the basket with the egg in it..

Nepalese students going to school

Divine Mercy Sunday - Easter 2 A

Readings

First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1: 3-9

Gospel: John 20: 19-31

Anecdotes

1.    I spoke as a brother”: A Timemagazine issue in 1984 presented a startling cover. It pictured a prison cellwhere two men sat on metal folding chairs, facing each other, up close andpersonal. They spoke quietly so as to keep others from hearing theconversation. The young man was Mehmet Ali Agca, the pope’s would-be assassin;the other man was Pope John Paul II, the intended victim. The pope held thehand that had held the gun and shot the bullet which tore into the pope’s body.John Paul wanted this scene to be shown around a world filled with nucleararsenals and unforgiving hatreds. This was a living icon of mercy. The pope hadbeen preaching forgiveness and reconciliation constantly. His deed with AliAgca spoke a thousand words. He embraced his enemy and pardoned him. At the endof their 20-minute meeting, Ali Agca raised the pope’s hand to his forehead asa sign of respect. John Paul shook Ali Agca’s hand tenderly. When the pope leftthe cell he said, “I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who hasmy complete trust.” This is an example of God’s divine mercy, the same divinemercy to which St. Faustina bore obedient witness. (http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0308.asp)

Good Friday Meditations

Good Friday Meditations by Ken Gardiner

This section contains four of the hour-long meditations and a three hour-long meditation which I have used over the years. One is based on the seven words from the cross, and others see the events of Good Friday through the eyes and thoughts of those who were there.

Group A

The cross imagined through the eyes of Peter, Mary the Mother of Jesus and every individual involved in this meditation.
Group A: Click

Group B

Three meditations on the verse:
And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. (Matt. 27:36)
Group B Click

Group C

Identifying ourselves with those who were standing round the cross.
Group C Click

Group D

Imagining the thoughts of Christ between his arrest and trial; The thoughts of Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross, Our own response.
Group D Click

A 3 Hour Service

Meditations based on the seven words from the cross.
A 3 Hour Service Click

Good Friday and Easter

Sermons for Good Friday and Easter John 18 : 1-19:42 - "Good Friday: The Three Crosses" John 20:1-9 - "Why I Believe in The Resurrection" Mark 16:1-8 - "Be Hatched or Go Bad" by Leonard Sweet _________________________________________ The Three Crosses The Cross. It struck fear in the hearts of the world. It was Rome's means of controlling the people. According to Roman custom, the penalty of crucifixion was always preceded by scourging; after this preliminary punishment, the condemned person had to carry the cross, or at least the transverse beam of it, to the place of execution, exposed to the jibes and insults of the people. On arrival at the place of execution the cross was uplifted. Soon the sufferer, entirely naked, was bound to it with cords. He was then, fastened with four nails to the wood of the cross. Finally, a placard called the titulus bearing the name of the condemned man and his sentence, was placed at the top of the cross. Slaves were crucified outside of Rome in a place called Sessorium, beyond the Esquiline Gate; their execution was entrusted to the carnifex servorum (the place of the hangman). Eventually this wretched locality became a forest of crosses, while the bodies of the victims were the pray of vultures and other rapacious birds. It often happened that the condemned man did not die of hunger or thirst, but lingered on the cross for several days. To shorten his punishment therefore, and lessen his terrible sufferings, his legs were sometimes broken. This custom, exceptional among the Romans, was common with the Jews. In this way it was possible to take down the corpse on the very evening of the execution. Among the Romans, though, the corpse could not be taken down, unless such removal had been specially authorized in the sentence of death. The corpse might also be buried if the sentence permitted. It is remarkable that all of this the Bible records with the simple words, "And they crucified Him." (Mark 15:24).

Good Friday 2012

MESSAGE FOR GOOD FRIDAY 2012
Anecdotes

Powdered Christian. You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff. When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores. He says, "On my first shopping trip with my American friend , I saw powdered milk. What is it , I asked. My friend explained, “You just add water, and you get milk.” I was amazed. Then I saw powdered orange juice--you just add water, and you get orange juice! And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, you add water and get a ready made baby!! “What a country!" So many Christian denominations claim that they can make powdered Christians. They preach: “Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, surrender your life to him and confess your sins to him. You are saved.“ Once saved, you are always saved. Just add water and disciples are born not made. Unfortunately, there is no such powder, and disciples of Jesus Christ are not instantly born. We must understand what it really means to be a Christian disciple from the mouth of Jesus. He proclaimed in Mathew 16: 24, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16: 24).It means that a truly practicing Christian must be a self denying and cross carrying Christian who obeys the teachings of Jesus. That is why we ask the question on Good Friday: what is the real message of the cross?

After Judasses Have betrayed you ....

After Judases have betrayed you what do you do?

In life you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul, and you can learn that love doesn’t mean leaning and company doesn’t mean security.

 And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans.

After awhile you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

 So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure…… that you really are strong

 And you really do have worth!

And so you tell the Judases, You come and go, I remain!

In faith and in perseverance and in hope!

Have a blessed Triduum!